He had several accounts of prominent journalists, including the “New York Times” and the “Washington Post” blocked on Twitter. Now they are unlocked again.
Following international criticism, Twitter has reactivated several blocked US journalist accounts. Twitter boss Elon Musk announced the move with reference to a survey of users of the online network, in which a majority of the almost 3.7 million participants had spoken out in favor of an immediate end to the blocks.
Several previously blocked accounts from journalists, including the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN, could be accessed again in the morning German time.
As of Thursday evening (local time), Twitter had blocked the accounts of at least six prominent US journalists. The Washington Post reported that the closures came without warning. The United Nations then expressed its deep concern about the development of the online network under its new owner Musk. Reporters should not be silenced by the arbitrary suspension of accounts on a platform that purports to be a space for freedom of expression, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said. The federal government also criticized the closures.
Musk: “You posted my real-time exact location”
On Wednesday, Twitter blocked an account that could be used to track CEO Elon Musk’s private jet. Some of the temporarily banned journalists reported on it, as well as Musk’s statement that sharing location data had put him and his family at risk. In several tweets on Friday night, Musk wrote that the same rules apply to journalists as to everyone else. He was referring to “doxxing,” which is the disclosure of an individual’s personal information, including information such as address. “You posted my real-time exact location, basically the coordinates for an assassination,” Musk wrote. He spoke of a violation of the Twitter terms of use.
Journalist Tony Webster, who was also affected by the lockdown, wrote on Twitter after his unlocking that there had been no “doxxing” – “even though an easily excitable, unaccountable oligarch said so”.
The online service has developed into an important communication platform in recent years: governments, authorities and politicians use Twitter for their public relations work all over the world. Tech billionaire Musk took over Twitter in October and has been pushing his ideas through the online service ever since.
